Lottery or wagering games are well known wherein players place a wager on the outcome of an event, such as a random selection of numbers, objects, or other indicia, and the wager is won or lost depending on the outcome of the event. For example, in a typical lottery game such as a Pick-3 or Pick-4 game, entrants may place a wager and designate particular picks from a field of numbers or other indicia. Alternatively, the player may opt for random generation of their picks. The gaming authority then randomly generates (i.e., by mechanical, electrical, software generation, and the like) a “winning” set of numbers from the field, and a player “wins” if their picks match all or some combination of the winning numbers.
Bonus features have been introduced into lottery games to make the games more attractive to players. In a typical scenario, the player purchases the bonus feature option upon placing their initial wager for the lottery game. If the player wins a prize amount in the game, the bonus feature may increase the prize amount by a predetermined factor, or a randomly generated factor that is determined at the time of the lottery game. A well know version of this concept is the Powerball® lottery game with the Power Play option.
Powerball® is a lottery game with a combined large jackpot game and a cash game. Each ticket costs $1. Five white balls out of a drum with 55 numbered balls and one red ball out of a drum with 42 numbered red balls are drawn by the gaming authority. Players win by matching one of nine possible winning combinations. The jackpot is won by matching all five white balls in any order and the red PowerBall®. The second cash prize is won by matching five white balls in any order. A player also wins a cash prize any time they match the red PowerBall®. The Power Play option is a special feature that allows a winner to multiply the original prize amount by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times (does not include the jackpot). The gaming authority picks the Power Play multiplier number at random at each lottery draw. A player must choose the Power Play option when they buy their Powerball® ticket, and then the ticket must win one of the non-jackpot prizes before the multiplier takes effect.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,416,408; 6,648,753; and 6,692,354 describe various group wagering games wherein entrants make a first wager on a first game and a second wager on the outcome of a second group game. The outcome of the second group game is determined first, but is only applied if the first game is a winner. Thus, a “bonus” round of play is provided for winners of the first game.
The industry is continuously seeking ways, such as the bonus or multiplier features described above, to generate group interest and excitement in the gaming experience. The present invention provides a unique bonus feature and associated system in this regard.